Warhships for the King: Ann Wyatt (1658-1757) Her Life and Her Ships by Tobias Philbin and Richard Endsor

From 1691 to 1698, seven major warships were built in the yards run by Ann Wyatt and her husband, and after his death by Ann alone. The ships were:

Devonshire (80) 1692, Winchester (60) 1693, Lancaster (80) 1694, Winchelsey (32) 1694,Cumberland (80) 1695, Seaford (24) 1695, Salisbury (48) 1698.

These ships were part of the Twenty-seven Ship Program of William III built to protect England from the French.

Tobias Philbin has documented the story of this amazing woman who built a significant part of the British navy in the later 1600s. She was the first and only woman to accomplish this feat. The book takes us through her life in Part I and then through her ships in Part II. Many pictures of ship models and maritime art are used to illustrate the text.

In addition, Richard Endsor, author of the Restoration Navy, has provided a set of plans of Cumberland (80) that was built by Ann Wyatt. They are in 1:96 scale and are provided in a rear pocket. There is also a copy of Cumberland’s original contract in the Appendix.

If you are interest in naval history, ships, and ship models, this book will be a rare find.